FEBRUARY is for HOUSEKEEPING

We don’t use the portrayal of love in terms of wildlife. Naturalists and biologists who are versed in animal behavior may refer to courtship and behavior rituals (some very elaborate) when talking about mammals, birds, fishes, etc. Often, the courtship observed in wildlife has similarities as in humans, mainly to see if the pair likes the company of the other and they are compatible in building a household together.

We are in the dead of winter, but as far as wildlife is concerned, spring is at hand. Pairing off and reproduction starts early in the year for many species with increasing daylight and temperature changes often being the catalyst.

Rodents, whether under the leaf litter like white-footed mice and woodland voles to gray squirrels in our tree canopies, are smooching and exchanging nuptial gifts prior to Valentine’s Day.

Landlords of eastern bluebirds realize the first nesting may happen now, so it’s time to clean existing or put up new bluebird nest boxes.

February is known for Valentine’s Day. The holiday is centered in the middle of the month, giving spouses, grandparents, girlfriends and boyfriends plenty of time to prepare something special for their loved ones. And for us, the heart-filled holiday may linger to later weekends or days off work to manage nice dinners, theater or a get-away that fits our schedules well along in the month.

Lastly, our native stream fishes react drastically to slight changes in the water’s temperature and lingering daylight. Darters and shiners take on a rainbow of colors, depending on their species. Southern red-bellied dace is my all-time favorite of stream life. Their colors of red and yellow are a swirl of hue-induced designs in the gravel shallows. They mark one of the riches people of the outdoors treasure!

The natural sounds of Valentine’s Day will certainly include the pulsing of our spring peeper frogs, the soft calls of the bluebirds and screech owls as they call to seek mates. I’ve mentioned in previous Show Me The Ozarks magazines that Missouri owls (great horned, barred and screech owls) are our earliest nesters. Screech owls are our smallest year-round resident owls and are less common than the other two but may still be found in suitable habitats and where insecticides are rarely used.

The little owl has set up housekeeping by our Valentine’s Day. The parents are busy tending to guarding their territory and continue courting through the incubation of their eggs to the hatching owlets. The sound of screech owls is a favorite of mine; they often trill and make a whinny or neighing sound (like imagining a miniaturized horse). This beautiful night sound has been dubbed into television and movie soundtracks probably more than any other native sound. We may hear their call trilling through the night when we are night fishing or camping; the timespan around Valentine’s Day grants us the little screech owls singing in duet and announcing housekeeping is underway.

Enjoy this month of relationships and cool behaviors in nature. Our natural world is truly a heart-felt gift for all of us naturalists. I hope to see you out and taking part of our trails and waters. – Jeff

Jeff Cantrell is an outdoor educator and naturalist. He is stationed at MDC’s Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center in Joplin, Missouri. He may be reached at jeff.cantrell@mdc.mo.gov.